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Iran on Saturday marked Eid under the shadow of American and Israeli hostilities, with reports of continued strikes and counter-strikes across the region.
Britain has agreed to provide military bases to the United States, while Iran fired missiles towards a joint American-British base. Explosions were also reported in Tel Aviv. Washington, in a notable shift, has permitted the export of Iranian petrol, even as reports emerged of plans to deploy thousands of troops to Iran.
Shortly after ruling out a ceasefire, US President Donald Trump issued a contradictory statement, saying on social media that Washington was considering an end to military operations in the Middle East.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written message, said unity among the Iranian people had created divisions within enemy ranks. He said the United States and Israel had misjudged Iran’s strength, believing a brief assault would trigger internal upheaval, an assessment he said had proven incorrect.
He made particular mention of Pakistan, saying the country held importance for him, as it had for his father. He added that other regional states had suffered due to foreign interference, while Iran sought improved relations with brotherly nations.
British sources disclosed that more than 40 Iranian drones had been destroyed by Royal Air Force pilots and armed units during the ongoing conflict.
Iran also launched a missile strike on a joint American-British base in the Indian Ocean. According to a US newspaper, two medium-range ballistic missiles were fired at Diego Garcia, though neither struck its target. One fell during flight, while the other was intercepted by a US naval vessel.
The United States Treasury said a new licence permits the sale of Iranian crude oil already loaded on vessels, effective until April 19.
Iran said such measures were aimed at creating false hope among buyers, adding there was no oil available for global markets and calling the decision a psychological tactic to influence crude prices.
In Iraq, a fire broke out at a US base following an attack that reportedly disabled the airbase radar system. A day earlier, American citizens had been advised to leave Iraq immediately.
Iran launched its 67th wave of missile strikes against Israel, targeting 25 locations in Haifa and Tel Aviv. The Revolutionary Guards said Khorramshahr and Ghadr multi-warhead missiles were used, warning of further action if Iranian territory came under renewed attack.
The United States also initiated fresh strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, targeting Iranian drones and naval vessels.
Air strikes were reported in several districts of Tehran, as well as in Karaj and Isfahan, according to Iranian media.
Switzerland announced it would suspend approval of arms exports to the United States in light of the ongoing conflict, stating that military equipment could not be supplied to countries involved in an international armed confrontation with Iran.
